William H. Strickland (b. 1842) was a Duplin County farmer. On August 28, 1861, he enlisted as a corporal in Company E, 30th Regiment NC Troops. In March 1862, Strickland was discharged due to “chronic rheumatism.” Almost a year later, on February 13, 1862, he joined Company B of the 51st North Carolina as a private. William served with the 51st until the end of the war, but he was sick much of the time.
NOTE: William H. Strickland served in the 51st Regiment with his father, Jeremiah Strickland. A transcript of a letter Jeremiah wrote is HERE.
The two transcripts below are for letters William Strickland wrote while serving in the army. He wrote the first letter while serving in the 30th North Carolina and the second while he was in the 51st North Carolina. The original transcripts are part of the Sally G. Quinn Papers on the Private Voices website (https://altchive.org/node/281) and is Copyright © 2014, eHistory. All rights reserved.
Quinn 19 (Co. E, 30th Reg’t NCT)
Transcriber: Toni Mitchell
Transcription Date: January, 2011
Proofer: M. Ellis
Proof Date: January, 2011
Derect you letter to Ralelegh in car of cap Mc<?>
from W.H. Stricklin Miss Mary A Hollin
Head Quartes Camp Crab tree Raleigh N C [September 186?]
Iredial Street No 1
Dear Aunt According to promise
I will this sabath morning offor A
few thoughts I deem it unnessary
to go through A long de tail of my
Travails as I have Stated to farther
Which you will Read there has nothing
new taken plast hear you hir more than
I do I will tell you A part of A
Souldier life hit is a hard one But
We have fun a planty and a planty to
Eat and a good tent to Stay in me and
William Jones lis to garther and W,W, Str<?>
and <?> Johnson to garther all in one tent
You aurote to See me I am getting is fat
is a pig af I can keep well I think I will
Be a man by the time I come Back I am
puty Well Saitfide oly When I thinks about
all of my people that is in Duplin and
my tru love I laft behind af I could See
her coming I would give a heap hir and
faney and kitey and you you cant tell how
glad I would Be But they is a day a coming
When I hope I will See all of you af I <?>
tell my gals if I could kiss her sweet lips
I would be better Satisfide Mary A Hollin
[page 2]
Head quarti Raleigh September
Deare unclin Williams and
Aunt and cousin I set by
the Drum to emform you I am
well and harty hopin thous few
line may fine you all the Same
good Blasin Well I Will tell you
Something about our fiar hit is
Better than I thought to fine hit
We have fun aplenty they is
nothing new We are all Well tell
cousin Mary E G how I am how We
is an Whear I am I tell you the
truth I never See the like of Rock
in my life theay is Some as Bige
is a house John you had Better
come With me for I See Some of the
pettey gerls and ugliest that there is in
the world I have Seen Sum of the liest land
that I ever Seen in my life Since I lefte
home Nothing More at presints Only rite Soon
Direct yours letter to Raleigh in cear of capton
Mc Millian Send this to Willis Hollin
from William H Stricklin
Quinn 23 (Co B, 51st Reg’t NCT)
Transcriber: Toni Mitchell
Transcription Date: January, 2011
Proofer: M. Ellis
Proof Date: January, 2011
Magnolia NC Sept the 6 1864
Aunts and uncal I once more
take the pleaser of writing you A
few lines Emform you that
my health ins a Enproving Some
But vary little I wount
to See you all vary Bad But
you may Know that I cant
hould out to waulk it yet
and So I wount you all to com
to See me and as Soon as I get
Able I will go as you can
come you All do So you
cant Tell how bad I
wount to See you come
as Soon as you can All
[page 2]
I shall look for you untell
I See you I Can tell you A heap
it has Bin Some time Since
I Saw you All last
Kate Says as A[?] you
wount to See Mr South[????]
you had Better Come for
he has got to go of and
She waunt you to See him
before he leaves So I Shall
Look for you to come
As the Famialy
All ar well and Sands
thar love to you All
I shall Clouss
Yours untell Death
Wm, H, Strickland